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The most exceptional light-heavyweight, Archie Moore, was 47 years old and still held the world championship title. He articulated the reason why many famous athletes resist retiring, better than anyone has done before or since.
At this stage, the strong pull towards spending time with family and living a comfortable life was overwhelmingly loud. Moore was aware that his wife desired for him to retire, and he cherished moments with his young daughters to ensure they never forget the importance of love and life. However, the idea of younger fighters coveting his championship belts reignited the warrior within him.
“I am still the seasoned mongoose, using wit and speed to outdo the new generation,” he stated. “I’m akin to a drunken patron at a bar, hoping for one last drink before heading home. I desire one final knockout to solidify my record, followed by just one more. Some may believe that retiring undefeated is the ideal ending for a man, but a true champion fights until the very end and leaves with their fists held high, just as they entered. It’s a proper exit and I believe it may be mine.”
Moore continued to fight for three more years, facing numerous opponents including a young Muhammad Ali. He eventually retired at the age of 50 after winning his 186th professional match.
While watching the surprising loss of world No 1 Novak Djokovic to world No 123 Luca Nardi at Indian Wells last week, I was reminded of Moore’s words. This thought resurfaced again as the two up-and-coming players, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, battled for the top spot on Saturday night. Alcaraz ultimately emerged victorious in three sets before dominating Daniil Medvedev with a final score of 7-6, 6-1 on Sunday.
There was a repetitive inquiry that grew more and more prominent – how much longer will Djokovic be able to tap into his warrior spirit and continue winning numerous grand slam titles each year?
Djokovic faced a major loss in his career against Nardi, not only in terms of the score but also in his approach to the match. This was his third defeat out of 11 matches in 2024. Djokovic is known for excelling in high-pressure moments, but in this match, he resorted to defensive tactics and only managed to hit two winners and two unforced errors in the crucial final set. In contrast, Nardi had 16 winners and only four unforced errors.
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Additionally, there was another factor to consider. Typically, when the rallies are longer, the tennis champion takes charge. However, in the match against Nardi, Djokovic was only victorious in 13 out of 37 rallies that lasted nine shots or more. He humbly acknowledged that his opponent earned the win, but he also noted, “My performance was exceptionally poor. I committed some truly terrible unforced errors.”
Djokovic made similar remarks following his loss to Sinner at the Australian Open, where he committed 54 unforced errors in a four-set match. He admitted, “I was somewhat surprised by my performance, in a negative sense.”
Currently, it is too early to discuss the idea of handing the torch to the next generation. However, it seems that for the first time, the tennis gods are searching for fuel and a means to start a fire.
Djokovic recognized a problem prior to Indian Wells when he expressed his disappointment about the approaching conclusion of tennis’s golden era, which featured him, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray.
The speaker acknowledged that these moments will eventually come for everyone. However, when they actually occur and one realizes it signifies the end of Roger’s retirement and possibly the winding down of their own and Rafa’s careers, it signals the end of an era and can elicit feelings of sadness.
Some may argue that Djokovic, who won three grand slam titles last year and the ATP Finals, has a history of early season struggles but has bounced back to win major tournaments. They also claim that he primarily prioritizes performing well in the grand slam events.
Although the aforementioned statements are accurate, even the aging Djokovic, who will reach the age of 37 in May, cannot continue to defy the effects of aging indefinitely. The odds from bookmakers are beginning to reflect this reality. Alcaraz is the frontrunner for the French Open, and some are also giving him the best chance to defend his Wimbledon title, which he won in a thrilling five-set match against Djokovic last year. While both he and Sinner have admiration for the Serbian player, they do not feel intimidated by him.
Djokovic, meanwhile, confirmed on Saturday that he was skipping the Miami Open this week, an event he has won six times, saying: “At this stage of my career, I’m balancing my private and professional schedule.” A subsequent tweet from the tournament director, James Blake, suggested the Serb had opted to put his family first.
I can understand completely. It is truly admirable. It also allows him to take some time to regroup and reignite his competitive drive. Devoted followers of Djokovic will recall that after achieving a career grand slam with the French Open victory in 2016, he confessed to losing motivation. As a result, he did not win a major title for the following two years. Undoubtedly, the loss to Nardi will reignite his passion and determination once more.
Whatever happens next, we can say this for certain: watching tennis’s old mongoose trying to outwit and outhit the younger generation, looking for one more grand slam title for the road, will make this year’s French Open and Wimbledon even more compelling than usual.
